Madonna and Child with St Elisabeth, the Infant St John, and Two Angels

This Madonna and Child with Saint Elisabeth, the Infant Saint John, and Two Angels by Andrea del Sarto, now in the Louvre, was painted around 1515-1516 and exemplifies the charity and warmth that characterize his devotional paintings. The scene brings together two mothers — the Virgin Mary and her older cousin Elisabeth — with their infant sons, Jesus and John, attended by angels, creating a scene of familial tenderness elevated to sacred status. The painting entered the French royal collections, where it was admired as one of the finest examples of Florentine painting.

The composition is built on interlocking circles of interaction between the figures, with gestures and gazes creating a web of emotional connections. Del Sarto's sfumato envelops the group in soft, warm light, while the rich palette — particularly the deep reds and blues of the draperies — demonstrates his distinctive approach to color that bridges Florentine drawing and Venetian colorism.